St. Louis Gym Centre Kicks off 2013 by Hosting 1,500 Gymnasts; 2 Olympians;

At St. Louis Event, Free to Spectators

ST. LOUIS, MO., JANUARY 3

RD, 2013 - The St. Louis Gym Centre, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization in Webster Groves, Mo., will bring 1,500 gymnasts and about 6,000 spectators from 8 states to the Chesterfield Doubletree Hotel & Conference Center January 12 – 13th, 2013, for the annual "Meet Me in St. Louis" - the largest gymnastics meet of its kind in the Midwest. St. Louis Gym Centre welcomes all spectators by offering the unique experience of free admission.

Also, appearing and signing autographs at the meet will be 2008 Olympian and Fighting Illini gymnastics head coach Justin Spring; and National USA Gymnastics Team Member and 2012 Olympic alternate Sarah Finnegan, who trained for several years at St. Louis Gym Centre.

Justin Spring enters his fourth season at the helm and seventh season overall with the Illinois men's gymnastics program. Spring was named National Coach of the Year after leading the Illini to their 10th NCAA title and first since 1989, becoming the youngest coach to garner the accolade in NCAA history at age 28. He also notched his third straight Big Ten Coach of the Year honor after guiding Illinois to its fourth straight Big Ten crown. As a Gymnast, Spring, a former Illini standout, had an amazing year in 2008 that culminated with winning a bronze medal with Team USA at the 2008 Beijing Olympics

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"I‟m very happy that St. Louis Gym Centre has invited me to be a guest at „Meet Me in St. Louis,‟" Justin says. "I am looking forward to meeting the younger gymnasts and sharing with them what it is like to compete at the international level."

A successful gymnast in the junior ranks, 16-year-old Sarah Finnegan made the jump in 2012 to the senior level just in time for the Olympic season. Age eligible for the London Games by about six weeks – Finnegan has quickly gone from „new senior‟ to Olympic contender. She was one of only 15 athletes chosen to compete at the Olympic Trials in San Jose where she finished 6

th in the All-Around competition, and was named an Olympic alternate to the Fierce Five in London 2012.

Established in 1973, St. Louis Gym Centre is the oldest private gymnastic club in St. Louis. Its location in the heart of Webster Groves places it at the center of gymnastics activity in the St. Louis area.

For more information about its gymnastic programs or about "Meet Me in St. Louis," including hours, location and schedule, visit http://www.slgcmeetmeinstlouis.org/